Dark Moon Rising
by GEN182
Summary: This is a story based on White Wolf's World of Darkness, a Role Playing Game. Think D&D, but different.Follow Naeem on his adventure of faith, heresy, wisdom, and the Path of Paradox.
1. Chapter 1

**A Dark Moon Rising**

Prologue: An Introduction into White Wolf's World of Darkness

(Author's Notes) This is not based on Vampires: The Masquerade (or it's sequal, Bloodlines), but instead, this story is based on what the video-games are based on: the Live Action Role Playing game (LARP game). If you are a true White Wolf fan, you already know all this and I encourage you to skip to Chapter 1: To Raise Set or Not To Raise Set, where the story follows Naeem, the Settite Warrior. If you are un-familiar with the clans, the Antediluvians, and other backgrounds of the game, this prologue will fill you in on the basics of the basics.

White Wolf's World of Darkness is based on the real world, with many supernatural changes. They are:

Vampires (in their many clans and sects)

Werewolves (or Gaoru, as they call themselves, in their broods)

Mages (and there numerous Cabals)

Wraiths (and other forms of ghosts from beyond the Shroud)

Mortals (with their many nations, secret power groups, hunters, phycics, ect.)

I will not go into detail on what you don't need to know about. All you need to know is concerning vampires, which are also called Canites (Used by the independent clans and the Sabat), Kindred (by the clans of the Camarilla), and "Lick", with Lick being a newer, and generally derogatory, term.

The vampires are split into 3 major Sects (think "a form of government"), thirteen clans (and three "bloodlines"), as well as fifteen different "generations" (which is how far away in generations you are from Cain, the first vampire. The lower your generation, the more powerful your blood is.).

Sects:

Camarilla (Generally speaking, the "Good Guys", follow the Masquerade and other rules very closely.)

Sabat (Generally the "Bad Guys", they seek to kill the Camarilla because they protect those of low generation)(Lasombra and Tzimisce, with a large number of antitribu from all clans, save for the Settites, Salubri, and Tremere)

Anarchs (Out for themselves. Follow the rules you wish to follow. It is an anarchy-based government.) (no specific clan, a small majority being Brujha)

(Independent Clans) The remaining clans that do not normally associate with the major Sects are called independent.

Clans:

Brujha- Emotional persons are embraced into this clan. They take pride in personal strength and conviction in what you believe is right. They are known for their supernatural speed, strength, and ability to sway emotions.

Malcavian- The insane make up this mad (crazy) clan. Every last one is fundamentally insane, and have powers to spread their insanity. Other than this, there are no common factors. The Lunatics are known for their ability to cause madness, their acute senses, and their stealth abilities.

Nosforatu- The clan is made up of unnaturally ugly people. They literally live in the sewers to avoid detection from mortals and vampires alike. It is rumored that you could transverse all of Europe through their subterranean tunnels. They are a clan united by their deformities: above all else, the Clan comes first. The Nosforatu are known for their supernatural strength, their stealth, and their unusual ability to converse with animals

Toreador- These are a clan of artists, of musicians, any worker of The Arts. They seek beauty wherever they go, and often are themselves workers or works of art. They are known for their keen senses, their speed, and their ability to manipulate emotions.

Tremere- the Warlocks are a mysterious clan of vampire mages. The short story is that they used to be mortal mages, specializing in Blood Magic, when they "accidentally" diablerized the Salubri Antediluvian. Though they are officially with the Camarilla, they are far more devoted to their clan's stability than the Sects. They are feared and famed for their magic talents, their keen senses, and their ability to give commands.

Ventrue- the Clan is the nobility of Kindred society, alone save for the Toreador. They are known as influence gatherers, as well as the most persevering leaders of the Camarilla. Clan Ventrue is known for their ability to withstand deadly attacks, their ability to give commands, and their ability to sway emotions.

Lasombra- Think Ventrue, but for the Sabat instead of Camarilla. They are known for their unnatural control over shadows, their supernatural strength, and their ability to give commands.

Tzimisce- The Flesh-crafters are a gruesome clan. They are leaders in the Sabat, next only to the Lasombra, but that is not their main interest. They seem to have a perverse pleasure in using their flesh-crafting abilities to make living abominations, making wolves into 5-legged monstrosities, making their ghouls into war-machines. They are known for that power, as well as keen senses and talking to animals.

Assemite- This clan follows Haquim, who is supposidly their founder and their Antediluvian. Some-time before the Great Flood, he faced off against Cain. He lost, and was cursed. Now, he and his clan only drink the blood of other vampires (of other clans). Of course, Haquim, or whatever the Antediluvian's name is, is in torpor in some long forgotten chamber… Assemites are known for their assassin abilities, for their speed, and for their senses.

Followers of Set (Settites)- The Followers of Set believe they are not vampires, but instead are literal descendants of the Egyptian God, Set. There are three sections to a Temple (which houses a group of Setites). There are the Priests, who practice a magic different than the Tremere. There are the Warriors, who's strength is equal to even the most potent Brujha, and the Followers, who are the most numerous and "normal" Settites. They are known for their odd Snake-related powers, as well as emotion control and stealth.

Gangrel- The Outsiders are out of all Sects. They can be environmentalists, they can be primitive beasts, but all are nature lovers of some kind. The city repels them. They are often at a cease-fire with the many Gaoru bands that also inhabit the Wildernesses. Gangrel is known for its survival ability, its hardiness, and for talking with wildlife.

Giovanni- Originally an off-shoot of the now-gone Cappadocians, the Giovanni are now the only clan of Necromancers. The entire power structure of the Giovanni clan is the fact that it is a family as well as a clan. They are known for their supernatural strength, their ability to give commands, and their paths of Necromancy.

Ravnos- The Pranksters are always on the wrong side of the law. If there is any Clan that is not united or well defined, Ravnos would be them. If ever in a group, it is no more than a handful of inexperienced individuals, and they prefer to travel alone. They believe the universe is an illusion, and that if they use their illusions on others, it can help them see the true reality. They are known for their hardiness, their ability to speak with animals, and their secretive mastery of illusions.

Bloodlines:

Bloodlines are groups of kindred with no Antediluvian, and cannot be categorized into any of the other Clans. They are all independent, and they are all very small in number.

Daughters of Cacophony- They are female singers, in short. They are not usually in large groups, though there is a power structure of some kind. There was an offshoot to this bloodline made up of all males (Sons of Discord), but they were killed.

Salubri- They were once a full clan, led by Saulot, the kindest Antediluvian. However, after a Tremere diablerized Saulot, the clan crumbled. Now, Tremere everywhere are told to kill Salubri on sight. They are called diablerists, but they are actually healers, as well as those with keen senses and a tough skin.

Samedi- They are a bloodline of mercenaries, constantly flipping sides for the best pay. They are said to be of Giovanni decent, since there is a feud between the two groups. They are known for their tough skin, their stealth, and their mysterious power of controlling the rotting process…

Ravnos could be called a bloodline, since they have no Antediluvian (it was killed, not diablerized), and they would be the largest one at that. However, White Wolf doesn't seem to be consistent with it's decisions on what it takes to be a true clan.

The important group you need to know about is the Followers of Set, since this is the group that is most used in this story.

Followers of Set

The Followers seek to raise their dark God, Set, from his long slumber. They believe that when they do, he will use his power to take over the world (simple summary). The problem is not how to wake him, really, it is to find him. They have tried to unveil his location for centuries, to no avail.

There were supposedly twelve Disciples of Set. For some reason, they betrayed him, and he slept until he could be awakened. The Twelve decided what they did was wrong, and helped establish the many Temples of Set. The oldest and most permanent Temple is the Temple of Ini-Herit, one of Set's direct servants. The Temple has had 3 "High Priests" or "High Priestesses" since about 1100 A.D. There is much drama in the past about the Temple of Ini-Herit, but I will not go into it.

There are three types of Followers of Set. There are the Priests, who are in charge of rituals, learning the Thaumaturgy (42 paths), learning and researching the knowledge of Set, among other things. They are the lowest in numbers. The Warriors are the protectors, for the priests more than for the entire population. There are always four Warrior guards per priest, which is where their rank system comes in. There is the first of four, (most powerful), second of four, third of four, and last (and also least), the fourth of four.. Then there are the standard "Followers" of Set, who are the standard workers. They are in charge of gathering influence and resources.

Enter the World of Darkness, where truly epic events are about to take place. See these events through Naeem, First of Four and the Leader of the Warriors.


	2. Chapter 2

A Dark Moon Rising 

**Authors Notes:** Hello! This is the second prologue of this story. It tells the history of the Temple of Ini-Herit. Please write a review, and use constructive criticism. (in other words, if it sucked, tell me WHY it sucked.)

As a side note: all conversations are to be in Arabic in this chapter, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Prologue Part 2: History of the Temple of Ini-Herit

The Temple of Ini-Herit was built about forty miles outside of Cairo, in roughly 1100 AD It was founded and built by Ini-Herit, one of Set's loyal minions (but not one of his Twelve Disciples, all of which abandoned him). After he built the temple, he put himself into torpor (A form of vampiric hibernation, which you can enter willingly or if you are very near death), to rise after Set has risen again.

Before he self-torped, he created a caste system for the Temple to run on, a more refined version of that which all Settites follow. Lowest on the caste system where the mortals who followed Set, yet had not become vampires (yet). Then there are the lowly Followers, which gather resources and establish influences for the Temple. Their leader would be a Priest, who coordinates the efforts of the Followers. There are the respectable Warriors, who officially guard the Temple, though in actuality guard the Priests. Their official leader is always a priest, however usually the First of Four of the High Priest/ High Priestess is the un-official leader. The Priests, which are in charge of the rituals, celebrations, and all other Temple events, are lead by the High Priest/ High Priestess. In summary, Ini-Herit made it so that the Priests control the Temple, and that the High Priest/ Priestess controls the Priests.

In addition to the Caste system, he made some very important rules, all of which were on pain of death or exile, discretion of the High Priest.

You will put your Temple above your Self.

You will never commit Amorath (Diablerie, aka eating a Vampire's soul to gain their powers.)

You may never abandon the Temple. When you are ours, you are ours forever.

Nothing worth mentioning happened to the Temple between 1100 AD and 1400 AD, other than some land purchases in Cairo and the entrance of Zam into the Temple in 1323 AD. 1400 AD rolls around and the High Priest mysteriously dies. The new High Priest, who led the Warriors before his promotion, came into power. There is much distrust in the Temple through this time, especially since the new High Priest forced the Temple to make a mass blood bond (a forced emotional connection, where the one who drinks the blood becomes bound to the donor.), which he donned, but did not participate. This is when Naeem enters the story, about 1550 AD.

Naeem was a student under the warrior Zam, who latter sired him. He rose through the ranks of the Warriors slowly, but was very devoted to learning the art of fighting, which Zam taught him. This was all before 1757.

So here comes the year 1757! The Priests finally found proof of the "new" high priest's actions, concerning the old Priest's death. However, instead of revealing the information to the temple, they met and unanimously agreed to slowly and secretly leave the Temple, after they kill the High Priest. They do so, around the year 1825, and all of them leave few by few. They were all hunted down and slain before 1830. There were no priests in the power structure, so no Head Priest could be called forth. In fact, the only one qualified to be a priest at all (let alone the "High Priest/ Priestess") was a young, blind adept, known as Ameena, who was Zam's childe (as was Naeem, remember).

Ameena became High Priestess, and began training new Priests, as well as learn herself in the lores that a Priest is expected to know (through the Temple's Arcane Library). Ameena has become wise in her short time as High Priestess (short being 200 years-ish), and has made many decisions which has lead to the expansion and integrity of the Temple. She did not abandon the idea of mass blood-bonds, but instead joined in.

Over the last decade or so, though, she has become more and more seclusive, staying in the Arcane Library for weeks at a time. However, in a sudden change of character, Ameena has not been in the Arcane Library for almost a year, since late 2004…

(story begins, through the eyes of Naeem, the First of Four of Rupert, Leader of the Followers)

(Disclaimer: All work on this is based off of a Live Action Role-Playing Game, run by my cousin, as well as White Wolf's World of Darkness. Any and all material that is contained in this fanfiction belongs to White Wolf, and should be treated accordingly. Any opinions or views (if any) explored in this fanfic is not necessarily those of White Wolf.)


	3. Chapter 3

A Dark Moon Rising 

**Authors Notes:** Hello! This is Chapter 1 of this story. Please write a review, and use constructive criticism. (in other words, if it sucked, tell me WHY it sucked.)

As a side note: all conversations are to be in Arabic in this chapter, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Chapter 1: To Raise Set or not to Raise Set?

I looked up to see another Follower enter the Entry Hall of the Temple. Naeem was irritated, since he knew that something was about to happen tonight, but he knew not what.

"Naeem? Where is Ameena?" Anpu asked. Anpu is one of the newer Warriors. Only a decade old, and acting as if he were second in command. Him asking where "Ameena" was, instead of the High Priestess was insulting, to both the Temple and to the Priestess.

"Patience, Anpu. Set does not raise in a single night." I responded, not realizing exactly how wrong I was. "And how many times must I order you to refer to 'Ameena' as the High Priestess? Will it be before, or after I have your tongue cut out?"

The calm manner in which I delivered my threat confused Anpu, who did not know if I was joking or not. I have disciplined myself over half a millennia to show only the emotions I wish to show. "Very well, Naeem, shall I refer to you as 'The First of Four' then?" he responded, sounding sarcastic.

_He will never learn to make the safe decision._ I think. I look to the doorway again. The leader of the Followers, a Priest named Rupert, entered. He looked much like Naeem felt, which is to say irritated. It appeared as though not even the priests knew why they were summoned to this Entry Hall.

"Return to your position at the second exit," I ordered to Anpu.

As secure as the Temple was, making an efficient security system of Warriors to make sure this room was safe was difficult. The long Entry Hall was a hall where the High Priestess gives speeches to the masses of Followers, including the mortals and ghouls as well as vampire loyalists. There are many tables, arranged in a circle around the center of the room, where there was a platform and table which the priests, including the High Priestess, sit.

The problem for my security force was that the room was large, and had no good security space at the front entrance, which lead to the main entrance to the Temple. Nor the second entrance have a security point, however it was deemed not necessary, since it leads to the inner hallways, which in turn lead to the various libraries, sleeping quarters, training rooms, ritual chambers, as well as storage rooms for the Temple. In addition to the large rooms, there are many people, any of which could be spies from another Temple, or a Serpent of Light, or worst yet, an Assemite seeking either my blood or Zam's.

I sigh, as I see yet another group of Followers talking quickly and quietly together as they enter from the front entrance. Thinking back, I remember the relevant events leading up to this night.

_Victor told me that there is to be a gathering in the Entry Hall a week from today_, Logan, Third of Four had told me as we sparred our daily battles. _He seems to know something, and he is taking much pleasure in not telling anyone._

_Let Followers learn things. We must remain sharp as the blades we fight with_, I had responded, intent on defeating him as I do every day. _If we remain sharp, none shall attempt to stop the Raising of Set._

_The Followers are very excited_, Rupert tells me as we converse over an evenings blood ritual, _They have found something, I think. Look over at the High Priestess. Why is it that every Blood Ritual for the past year or so, Victor has been at the Position of Honor?_

_Let the High Priestess choose who has the Position of Honor, _I had responded patiently, _It is one of her privileges. I care not if the Followers have found something, as long as it does not interfere with the Raising of Set._ I assumed that he was unhappy because he was not in the Position of Honor, as he had been for nigh fifty years.

My reveries were interrupted by yet another person's entrance. I would have ignored them, had it not been my instructor, friend, and mentor Zam, who was also the personal guard and sire of the High Priestess, as well as the most experienced Warrior in the group. He was said to be the childe of Ini-Herit himself, who founded the Temple (and named it in his name), and who was one of Set's personal assistants. Zam's appearance, however, was more than an interest as his friend and student, but he was known to guide our Blind Priestess, the High Priestess Ameena.

I gave a few subtle signals for the other 24 Warriors to look sharp, just as the High Priestess entered. She was very young for a High Priestess, being only about 150 years of age, but made up for her youth with her wisdom. All her decisions, though few in number, have aided the Temple's productivity. Everything from the killings of the traitorous Priests back in the late 1800's, to modernizing the Temple's technological status has been recent and important decisions.

High Priestess Ameena, guided by her sire Zam, reached the center platform of the Entry Hall. Zam and the High Priestess had a quiet conversation, of which I could not hear, then the High Priestess addressed the group.

"Why are you all so quiet? Tonight is a night of celebration!" she announced. A handful of Followers, including Victor, shouted cheers of joy, while the remainder of the Followers, as well as the priests and warriors, appeared confused. I, as normal, kept a blank face.  
Rupert stood. He said, "What is this celebration for, High Priestess? There have been no new findings concerning Set, nor have…"

"How wrong you are, Rupert. We have found a relic of Set. Something that puts finding His Sword to a mere trifle compared to this finding." She said, cutting him off. Rupert, as well as one of my Warriors (who has claimed the Sword as his until he can personally return it to Set), started to argue, but were cut off yet again. Which is… uncharacteristic of her.

She continued, "We have found Set's tomb."

A group of Followers beamed at her statement, but the rest of us, including (much to my surprise) Zam, were completely shocked.

Set's tomb has been found. After five centuries of serving Set, looking for His tomb, and I will be present for His awakening!

(Authors Note) Well, well, well. It seems Clan Settite is going to raise their "God". What fun this will be.

(Disclaimer: All work on this is based off of a Live Action Role-Playing Game, run by my cousin, as well as White Wolf's World of Darkness. Any and all material that is contained in this fanfiction belongs to White Wolf, and should be treated accordingly. Any opinions or views (if any) explored in this fanfic is not necessarily those of White Wolf.)


End file.
